Condenser and method of making the same



Feb. 7, 1939. J. G. BERGDOLL CONDENSER AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAMEFiled July 31, 1936 Tm Hm fl'themethodof 10 withone endthereofappearing.Pstented Feb. 7, 193a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mammalian-ragga mom IJohn G. Bergdoll, York.

Machinery corpora tion of Delaware Pa, asslgnor to York lee York, Pa,amora- "Appl cation July $1.1m, Serial no". asses '7 claims. (i.til-157.3) This invention relates to condensers, particularly of theshell and tube in -refrigerating systems, and to manufacturing suchcondensers. I The primary purpose of the present invention is to providea very compact and highly eill'cient condenser adapted to be produced atlow cost by a simple, practical method of manufacture. An importantfeature is the combination of matelll rials used for the severaiparts,and the manner of securing the parts togethen'so as to insure efiicientoperaflon of the device.

Another object is to provide a condenser the various parts of which maybe readily assembled i and secured in place to form a rigid, unitarystructure having strong, fluid-tight'joints.

A further important object isto provide a condenser having a maximumextent oi cooling surface and capacity for a given size, whereby to typeintended for use a method of tube sheets and shell. Simple and eillcientmeans for supporting the water tubes and properly spacing them betweenthe tube sheets. and effective means fordistriblilutingthegastobecondensedasitentersthe cooling chamber, arealsofeatures of the con-' struction.

Other objects and purposes will be apparent from the following detaileddescription, taken in :6 connection with the-aeeompanyina drawing'illustrating apreferred fonnoithe condenser. and in which:

l'lgure'i is a the improved. completely .tion:

1"lg.2isanend iromtheleftinl 'lg.

broken awaytoshowtbe onlinea-loi'l'ig.l.showelevation viewing thecondenser lrthe water box head being ooling water distriblns themnwrt'na. tubes and the inlet bale for meansfottheheatofwater.

fragmentary perspective of the reinlet baiile means and filler piece.

the drawing, it will'beseen that the completely assembled condensercomprises an elongated steel shell I of relatively small di 5 meter ascompared with its length. The ends of the shell are closed by main orouter heads I and I removably secured thereto by bolts and nuts llextending through suitable openings in the-heads and in cooperatingflange rings il, 10

ii threaded onto the shell. Gaskets are located between-the outer headsand flanges II, II to insure ti t :Ioints.

Located in shell I are spaced copper water tube sheets l2, I! which formthe usual cooling l5 s I! between the\tube sheets and water boxes M, itbetween' the tube sheets and the shell heads 8 and I. e condenser head 8is provided with a cooling water inlet i5 and 'a cooling water outlet inalso an inlet" for the so 'condensable refrigerant 'gas entering coolingchamber II and a refrigerant liquid outlet ll leading therefrom. PadsI8, II are adapted for mounting the condenser in the position of Fig. 1.

Each copper tubesheet or head i2, i2 is provided with a peripheralflange II which, as

. shown in lull lines in Fig. 4, proiects into an annular groove Iiformed in the inner surface of shell I. The copper flange it is weldedaroimd Fig. 6 is a frigera'nt gas Referring to its edle to the steelshell as indicated at ll, thus fluid-tight joint between the shell.Although not;limited the copper tube headers are welded to the steelshell by means of the method I set forth in an application Serial No.194.218, flied March 9, 1938, by Albert '1. Light. This method'hasbeenutilised with ked'success in constructing the present condenserand has aided materially in the practicability andhigh efliercial use.

forming a strong. tube sheet and the thereto, preferably coolingcapacity in a condenser of given size, the copper water tubes 23 areeach provided with a multiplicity of closely arranged, copper fins 25.These fins, which are in the form of annular disks secured to the tubes23 by soldering, brazing, or in any other suitable manner, extend intoclose proximity to the tube sheets i2, id, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Sincethe present condenser is an elongated device of small diameter, thespan between tube sheets l2, i2 is considerable. Mean: are necessarytherefore to support the water tubes 23 in the shell it between the tubesheets and to hold them in spaced relation so that the tubes will besecurely retained in properly assembled position at all times. The tubespacing means used for this purpose comprise individual copper sleeves27 mounted on the fins 28 of the several Water tubes. The sleeves it areelongated so as to engage a number of the fins and are secured theretoby soldering, or otherwise. Sleeves 2'! are arranged in a. plurality oftransversely disposed groups, preferably three, suitably spaced fromeach other on the tubes, as shown in Figs. l and 3. As appears from Fig.3, the sleeves of each group bear against h other and thus maintain thewater tubes in the desired spaced relation illustrated.

A combined clamping and supporting device encircles the nest of watertubes around each group of tube sleeves 2? and engages the shell i. Thisdevice comprises a pair of duplicate, arclike members 28, 28 havinglower cars 29 and upper ears 3t. Extending between the lower ears 29 ofthe three supporting devices, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, is a horizontalfillerand connecting bar 3 9. Registering openings in ears 2% and bar 3ireceive bolts 32 which securely connect the bar and the severalsupporting devices together. A rigid, bar-like extension 88 onconnecting bar 3i (Fig. 3) projects upwardly between the water tubes ateach group of sleeves 2? so as to engage certain of the sleeves andfurther aid in maintaining the tubes in proper position.

A filler and connecting bar 34, similar to bar 39, extends between theupper sets of cars 80 of the tube clamping devices. Alined openings inbar 34 and cars 30 receive bolts 35 to secure these parts. Welded to theopposite faces of bar 36 are pairs of angle strips or baiiles 36. Theconstruction described provides a rigid assembly which serves properlyto space and support the intermediate portions of the water tubes in theshell, while baflles 36 serve to spread the condensable gas entering atinlet l1 and thus assures its distribution throughout cooling chamberl3:

Located in water box i4 is an upright partition plate 31 which dividesthe water box into a waterreceiving compartment 38 into which waterinlet l opens, and water discharge compartment 39 from which leads wateroutlet I 6. Plate 31, which closely fits the interior of shell 1 andagainst tube sheet I2, is welded at its top and bottom edges to theinterior of the shell, while the remainder of the Joint is madefluid-tight with plastic cement.

A supplemental plate 42 serves to complete separation of the twocompartments 38, 39 into which water box M is divided. Plate 42 ismounted on plate 31 by means of bolts and nuts 63 located in registeringopenings i4, 45 in plates 31 and 42, respectively. A grooved, rubbergasket strip 46 on the outer edge of plate 42 seals against shell head8. Plate 42 has a lateral extension 51 formed with a number oiperforations t8. Ex-

The construction described provides a con-- denser of the two-pass type,in that the cooling water in. travelling from inlet IE to outlet l6passes through the tube nest twice. The water from inlet I5 first flowsthrough half of the water tubes in parallel, through water box l4, and

' thence back through the other half of the water tubes in parallel.However, insofar as certain features of the invention are concerned, thecondenser may be'of the single-pass type in which the cooling waterflows through all of the tubes in one direction. In this case, the waterinlet would be at one end of the condenser and the outlet at the otherend. The partition in water box H, of course, would be omitted.

An important feature of the invention is the novel method employed inassembling the tubes, tube sheets and shell of the condenser and inpermanently securing these parts together. The tube nest, comprisingcopper tube sheets 22, i2 and copper finned tubes 23. is assembled firstto form a separate unit adapted to be inserted in the steel shell i. Toaccomplish this, the flanged tube sheets l2, it are temporarily mountedin suitable holding means so that they are arranged relatively to eachother exactly as they will be in the completely assembled condenser. Thefinned tubes 28, which are longer than the distance between the spacedtube sheets, are mounted, one

at a time, in their proper openings 26 in the tube sheets by firstplacing one end of the tube in its opening in one tube sheet and thenflexing the tube to shorten the distance between its ends and thuspermit passage of the tube between the tube sheets and insertion of theopposite end of the tube in its opening in the other tube sheet. Afterall of the tubes are mounted in the tube sheets in this manner, eachtube is secured to the tube sheet at 25 by brazing or soldering.

The supporting devices for the tube nest and their connecting bars 3iand 34 are now mounted on the tubes to complete the assembled unit whichis slid into proper position in the shell 7. The outside diameter of thetube sheet flanges v2|], 20 at this time (as indicated by dotted linesin Fig. 4) and the outside measurements of the pipe supporting means,are such as to permit ready passage of the tube nest through the shellduring this operation. Each copper flange 20 is now expanded, byhammering or rolling, into its groove 2| in shell 1 and securely bondedto the steel shell by a. continuous line of welding 22. The remainingparts of the condenser are now put in place, as already described, andthe device is ready for use.

The construction described, together with the particular combination ofmaterials used, affords a sturdy, compact condenser having a. considera-I hence, it is common practice in the art to refer to the cooling mediumas water, and to water boxes, water tubes", etc. In using such terms inthe specification and claims, the terminology of the art is adoptedmerely for convenience, but no necessary limitation to water is implied,since any suitable fluid medium may be used. While the exampleillustrated and described refers to a condenser, it is obvious that theinvention is applicable to other types of heat exchangers and it isintended that the appended claims define apparatus of thisgeneralnature.

What is claimed is:

l. A condenser comprising an elongated, cylindrical steel shell ofrelatively small diameter; removable heads on the ends of the shell; andan elongated, water tube nest located in the shell to form water boxesbetween the shell heads and the tube nest, said nest comprising a pairof rela tlvely widely spaced, perforated, copper tube sheets havingperipheral flanges, a multiplicity of closely-nested, open-ended, coppertubes having their ends located in the perforations in said tube sheetsand secured thereto, as by brazing or soldering, to form fluid-tightjoints between the tubes and the tube sheets, a series ofcloselyarranged, annular copper iins secured on each of the tubes, andcoacting means on several tubes to maintain the tubes in properly spacedrelation, the water tube nest constituting a separate, unitary structureassembled and inserted in the shell and secured thereto by expandingsaid tube sheet flanges against the interior of the shell and weldingthe flanges to the shell to form fluid-tight joints between the shelland the tube sheets.

- and a cooling space 2. The combination in apparatus of the classdescribed of an elongated, one-piece shell of relatively small diameter;spaced tube sheets arranged in said shell inwardly of the ends thereofto provide water box space at each end thereof between the sheets, saidshell having an inlet and an outlet for said cooling space to permitentry and discharge of the fluid under treatment; heads closing the endsof the shell; a multiplicity of closely-arranged, elongated water tubesconnected at their ends to said tube sheets; a plurality of spaced tubesupporting devices mounted on the tubes between said tube sheets andengaging the shell; and rigid means connecting said supportingdevicestogether to maintain them rigidly in proper supporting positionat all times, said rigid connecting means for the supporting devicesarranged directly in line with said fluid inlet to intercept and spreadthe stream of incoming fluid in all lateral directions and therebyincrease the distribution and circulation of the fluid in said coolingspace.

3. The combination in apparatus of the class described of a shell havingan open end; a re- 'movable head closing said end of the shell; a

water tube sheet in the shell forming a water box between said sheet andsaid head; a series of water tubes having their ends connected toacterized the fins on the opposite end of including baffle meanssoldering, to form a separate,

the tube sheet; a main partition plate dividing said water boxlongitudinally into water-receiving and water discharge compartments andhavin fluid-tight joints with the shell and the tube sheet, said headhaving a cooling water inlet for the water-receiving compartment and acooling water outlet for the water discharge compartment; a supplementalpartition plate adjustably and removably mounted on the main partitionplate; and packing means between said supplemental plate and the shellhead.

4. The combination of claim 3 further charin that said supplementalpartition plate has a perforated extension projecting therefrom intoline distribute the incoming water uniformly to the watertubes.

5. The method of making separate, unitary water tube nests for useinapparatus of the class described which comprises securing a pair ofcorwater tube sheets in in desired spacedrelarespondingly perforatedtemporary holding means tion to each other; locating in a perforation in6. The method of making separate, unitarywater tube nests for use incondensers which comprises securing a. pair of correspondinglyperforated tube sheets in temporary holding means in desired spacedrelation to each other;

' locating in a perforation in one of said sheets one end of anopen-ended,

flnned water tube of a length greater than the tube sheets; flexing thetube transversely to reduce the distance between its ends; locating thethe tube in the corresponding perforation in the other tube sheet whilethe tube is so flexed; similarly mounting additional tubes, one at atime, in their corresponding perforations in the tube sheets .until thenest of tubes is complete; and permanently securing the ends of thetubes in place in the tube sheets, as by brazing or soldering.

, '7. The method of making condensers which comprises arranging amultiplicity of open-ended, finned, copper water tubes with their endslocated in perforations in a pair of spaced, perforated, copper tubesheets having edge flanges; securing said tubes in the tube sheets, asby brazing or unitary water tube nest; inserting said tube nest as aunit entirely within an open-ended, one piece, steel shell so as toleave water box space at each end of the shell; expanding said tubesheet flanges against the interior of the shell; and welding saidflanges to the interior of the-shell to form fluid-tight joints betweenthe steel shell and the copper tube sheets.

. JOHN G. Beaononn with the cooling water inlet to as I distance betweenthe

